48
Not just beef, eating any kind of meat is by default prohibited in Hinduism. Consider the following statements from the primary Hindu book of law:
Meat can never be obtained without injury to living creatures, and
injury to sentient beings is detrimental to (the attainment of)
heavenly bliss; let him therefore shun (the use of) meat. [Manu
Smriti ...
19
As per vedas getting married to a girl after kidnapping is considered
devil/daemon (दानव) Vivaha (marriage) which isn't righteous
(धर्मानुकूलन).
You have perfectly stated the correct thing. Shri Krishna indeed married Rukmani in a rākṣasa style:
bhagavān bhīṣmaka-sutāṁ rukmiṇīṁ rucirānanām
rākṣasena vidhānena upayema [SB - 10.52.18]
Meaning
...
19
Western lexicons refer to all faiths of the world by the term "religion". Therefore, from a Western perspective, Hinduism is also known as one of the world's "religions". The reference to Hinduism as a religion is purely from a Western context. Thus, nothing is taken away when perceiving from that viewpoint.
However, to equate religion as an equivalent ...
17
UTTARA KANDA is a PRAKSHIPTA - an insertion made at a later date. As the episode of banishment of Sita finds place in this Kanda, it has to be rejected.
In view of the following contradictions in the UTTARA KANDA, I think the entire Uttara Kanda is a PRAKSHIPTA, an insertion made at a latter date.
The story of Srimad Ramayana ends with Sri Rama's ...
17
Dharma, in spiritual context, can be loosely stated as right action. And what is the right course of action for a person depends upon many factors like time, place, situation, etc. Hence, dharma is subjective and varies from person to person. So the Gita states:
sreyan sva-dharmo vigunah para-dharmat svanusthitat
sva-dharme nidhanam sreyah para-dharmo ...
15
First of all, a question arises:
How or why is the name or concept of Leela relevant in Hinduism?
It's because Brahman is defined as fully omniscient and omnipotent by many Vedic verses. Brahman is defined as being beyond mind and hence to be understood by Neti Neti or Not-this Not-this. So for this powerful and omniscient Brahman there cannot be any purpose ...
14
No. A married woman is not allowed to remove mangal sutra for the sake of convenience.
As you have said in the question, we see many people who do not wear mangal sutra to offices and to some social gatherings. But it is not allowed to remove it by her own will. This also applies to men who are not wearing Yagnopaveetha(sacred thread). It is not an ordinary ...
14
Let's see this the way Tantra talks about it. The God is nothing but Ultimate Reality, also termed as chit or Parasamvit. It is non-relational consciousness. It is the changeless principle of all changes. In it there is no distinction between subject and object, Of I and This. It is supreme self surviving Itself.
So question is, why it needs to change, why ...
13
I believe, organ donation is not a bad practice. Its a religion of Humanity where we can help someone even after your death. Its one way you can help someone after your death. As per my knowledge every religion encourage or support blood donation and its similar to organ donation after your death.
Interestingly, reports about the use of body parts to benefit ...
13
No, the four legs of the bull of Dharma do not represent percentages of righteousness in society (although it is true that the number of righteous people decline as the Yugas progress). Rather, the legs represent different virtuous qualities any individual can have. Here is what Arjuna's grandson Parikshit says in the Srimad Bhagavatam, upon seeing the ...
answered Sep 13 '14 at 6:02
13
In Santana Dharma, the "right way of living" is preached in many scriptures. Actually the Sanskrit word "Dharma" itself stands for similar meaning.
Ethics (Ethical code or Code Of Conduct) are taught in various ways in Hindu Scriptures like as Divine Commandments in Vedas-Upanishad, Bhagavad Gita. In terms of Yama (यम) & Niyama (नियम) ...
13
No, the Dharma Shastras explicitly forbid Hindus from marrying foreigners, otherwise known as Mlecchas.
Here are some verses from the Atri Smriti that prohibit interracial marriages:
The purification for knowing [having sex with] a Mleccha woman consists in a Santapanam penance, or it is said, one may attain to
purification by performing a ...
12
Morality comes from scripture. For starters, here is what Adi Shankaracharya says in this section of his Brahma Sutra Bhashya, which is actually about the subject of animal sacrifice:
[The reasoning criticizing animal sacrifice] is not valid, because our knowledge of what is duty and the contrary of duty depends entirely on scripture. The knowledge of one ...
12
The passage you quoted in your question is from Shreemad Bhagavata Maha Purana 4.4.17 and it says that "one should by force cut out the blasphemer's tongue and kill the offender". And your enquiry is about "does Vaishnavism ordains one to the cut-the tongue of a blasphemer? "
The answer is No. Not only Vaishnavism but none of the sects of ...
11
I will try to answer your question despite the comments pointing to a certain other answer.
It is not about justification, but about decision making. If there were rumors about Sita Devi then that could potentially reduce respect to her king by their subjects and eventually lead to lesser able administration. As a king, Rama had to sacrifice his personal ...
11
Yes, this shloka is present in Mahabharata.
1) Adi Parva of Mahabharata:
Sauti Muni talking about Rishi Sahasrapat tells Rishi Ruru about the characteristics of a brahamana.
अहिंसा परमॊ धर्मः सर्वप्राणभृतां समृतः
तस्मात पराणभृतः सर्वान न हिंस्याथ बराह्मणः कव चित
Verily the highest virtue of man is sparing the life of others. Therefore a Brahmana should ...
11
The source you have cited in question is not proper. You should read Rudra Samhita (Yuddha Khanda) (chapter 13 - Chapter 25) of Shiva Mahapurana and/or Uttarakhada (Chapter 3 - Chapter 18) of Padma Purana to know complete story though Chapter 97 of Linga Purana mentions different story.
First of all, it was Jalandhara who started everything. He went into ...
11
Why-didnt-lord-ram-try-to-prove-mother-sitas-purity-but-rather-chose-to-exile her? was Adharma ?
The exact answer why shree Rama sent Sita on exile in the forest and not again took her Agni Pariksha is given in Padma Purana – Volume 5- PATALAKHANDA - Chapter No. 57 -The Washerman's Former Birth . Page no. 1879 –Motilal _Banasirdass version. The whole ...
11
Ramanujacharya did not abandon his Guru Yadava Prakasha. Yadava Prakasha himself ordered to leave the school. So, he was following the command of his teacher.
Let's see what happened.
Hearing that his maternal cousin Govinda (who was known later as Embar) was studying at Yadava Prakasha, he joined there too. In the course of the studies, there was a lesson ...
11
The answer to this question is given in scripture itself and in the writings of the greats. Scripture can be regarded as scripture only if it is reasonable.
Bhisma said in Mahabharata
'Even the words heard from an ignorant person, if in themselves they
be fraught with sense, come to be regarded as pious and wise. In days
of old, Usanas said unto the ...
10
The question seems simple, but it's a bit broad because there are hundreds of sins mentioned in our scriptures. There are so many kinds of sins mentioned in our scriptures that categorizing them would be difficult. Generally, a sin is committed when the prescribed laws of the sages are violated either by mind, body or speech:
varṇāśramaviruddhaṃ ca karma ...
10
Lord Krishna did not forcefully kidnap Rukmani. It was a planned affair with the consent of the girl eloped. Thus, the word kidnap itself may not appropriately describe the event.
It is true that the Vedas say that marrying a girl against her wishes isn't righteous.
In case of Rukmani and Krishna, Rukmani had pleaded Krishna with a letter of pleasing ...
10
First lying is adharma; although you may not be hurting someone else, you are hurting yourself.
One should always tell the truth, but one should never tell a harsh truth. A harsh truth is a truth that is hurtful or cause offense in some way or perhaps feeds your own ego (this is really being hurtful to your own self).
This does not mean you should lie. ...
10
In Bharata dynasty (in which Yudhishthira and Duryodhana were born), it was not necessary that only the eldest son of a king will become the next king. The one who was worthy of becoming a king used to be chosen. Even king Bharata himself didn't appoint his eldest son as his successor:
And Bharata begat upon his three wives nine sons in all. But none of ...
10
What is dharma and adharma is determined by scripture. Krishna says in the Gita (XVI. 23-24):
He who discards the injunctions of the scriptures and acts upon impulse of desire attains neither perfection nor happiness nor the Supreme Goal.
Therefore let the scriptures be your authority in determining what ought to be done and what ought not to be done....
10
The Vedas, in particular, do not have a limited (narrow) vision of patriotism. The Vedas clearly say that we all are the children of Mother Earth. Hence, we should love the whole earth as our motherland and not just our own country.
MAta Bhumih Putro Aham PrithivyAha .
Meaning
The earth is my mother, I her son.
Atharva Veda Samhita, Kanda ...
10
Before turning into a Sannyasin, there is a greater possibility that Swamiji might have taken the fish at least as it is a chief diet in Bengal.
After becoming a Sannyasin; when Swamiji was in America, some orthodox Hindus accused him of taking forbidden diet. Here is an excerpt:
To the accusation from some orthodox Hindus that the Swami was eating ...
10
Almost all cultures & civilizations have warned against harsh speeches. Even the sarcasm or the criticism also mustn't be cruel in nature. Better to withdraw them. During SabhA Parva, when Draupadi was won, following conversation takes place:
Duryodhana said,--'Come, Kshatta, bring hither Draupadi the dear and loved wife of the Pandavas. Let her sweep ...
10
This is to supplement Sree Charan's correct answer with quotes from Shastras.
The Manu Smriti says that there is no Vedic sacrament for women.But what is Vedic sacrament for men the nuptial (wedding) ceremony is that for the women.
Hence, removing the mangal sutra (which is considered as a proof or symbol of the marriage) by women, is considered as ...
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